The Vegetarian Lifestyle

• A vegetarian diet and lifestyle revolves around plant products.Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
  
  The blanket term "vegetarian" covers a wide range of diets and lifestyles. Most vegetarians eat only plants; consuming foods containing animal parts goes against personal beliefs and rules. Some are even more strict and avoid the use of clothing and products that contain animal parts. Still, some vegetarians allow eggs and fish into the diet and many wear animal products, like silk, fur or leather, but only if the product was acquired by cruelty-free means.
  
  

Silk Production

• Raw silk cocoons are boiled, baked or steamed.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Silkworms (silk-caterpillars) worldwide consume billions of tons of mulberry leaves annually. Farmers feed the silkworms, which are now totally domesticated and unable to survive alone in nature. Leaves go in one end and out of the other comes a single thread (1,000 to 3,000 feet in length) of raw silk. When a cocoon is fully formed, it is boiled, baked or steamed. This kills the unneeded moth inside and readies the material for processing and weaving.
  
  

Vegetarian Silk Production

• There are many species of silkworm moths.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Often referred to as peace or wild silk, vegetarian silk is a product made with no harm to the animal involved. As the silkworm metamorphosises into its final moth stage, it must emerge from the silk cocoon. However, this breaks the silk thread and becomes problematic for production -- hence the typical heating method, which kills the moth. Vegetarian silk producers use a special degumming process that allows the moth to emerge and live in "peace."
  
  

Silkworm Friendly Companies and Products

• Find vegetarian silk companies by searching the Web.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Expect to find lots of product variety with vegetarian silk companies, just like any mainstream company. Most online stores list detailed information regarding warp and weft, color, where it was raised (typically on a family farm) and whether or not it qualifies for an organic label. One vegetarian silk company, Aurora Silk, uses all natural dyes and makes a point to mention that "no child labor or slavery" was used.